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Conversation
Highlights
Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech’s most innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Brad Kittredge, CEO & Co-Founder of Brightside, a virtual mental health care platform that’s raised nearly $150 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- Brightside’s Comprehensive Mental Health Platform: Brad explains how Brightside offers a wide range of services, from psychiatry and therapy to suicide prevention, covering over 130 million Americans through partnerships with health insurance companies.
- Shifting Perceptions of Mental Health: Since Brightside’s founding in 2017, cultural attitudes toward mental health have shifted dramatically. The pandemic accelerated the normalization of mental health conversations, reducing stigma and making virtual care more acceptable.
- Proving the Viability of Telemedicine: Initially, investors and consumers were skeptical about the adoption of remote mental health care, but the pandemic acted as a forcing function. Brightside saw telemedicine claims remain high post-pandemic, especially for mental health services.
- Navigating Complex Regulatory Challenges: Brad highlights how Brightside has been proactive in navigating healthcare regulations, especially around controlled substances. By choosing not to prescribe them, they mitigated certain regulatory risks, while focusing on influencing policy for the broader benefit of telemedicine.
- Brightside’s Focus on Hard-to-Treat Cases: By launching their Crisis Care Program, which targets suicide prevention, Brightside doubled down on treating the most challenging and high-cost mental health cases, further differentiating themselves from competitors.
- Rapid Product Development and Go-to-Market Success: Brad and his team launched Brightside’s alpha in just five months, achieving their first revenue within a week. Their ability to focus on product-market fit and leverage early consumer interest in telehealth drove fast early success.
Actionable
Takeaways
Focus on Complex Problems for Differentiation:
By focusing on high-cost, high-risk patients, Brightside positioned itself as a leader in delivering better care outcomes. Startups can differentiate by tackling the hardest problems within their market.
Leverage Data for Industry Credibility:
Brad used Brightside’s patient data to build credibility with health insurers. Early-stage companies can leverage their data to prove their value and secure partnerships, even before formal pilots.
Strategic Market Entry Through Cash-Pay:
Instead of waiting for insurance partnerships, Brightside started with a cash-pay model to gather data. Founders in regulated industries should consider creative ways to enter the market without waiting for traditional gatekeepers.
Adapt to Regulatory Environments:
Understanding and navigating regulations is crucial in healthcare. Founders must stay ahead of regulatory trends to minimize risk and capitalize on liberalizing rules in sectors like telemedicine.
Build Fast, Learn Faster:
Brad’s team launched Brightside’s alpha in just five months and achieved their first sale within days. Prioritize launching a minimal viable product quickly to test assumptions and learn from real-world feedback.
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